Navy photo.

[gunto]

anyone else notice the westener in the corner of the photo in naval dress. ? looks like he might be an observer attached to the ship. thats gotta narrow it down a bit. looking at there chest it's post russo japanese war. maybe pre ww1?? see if you can find images of western observers attached to naval ships of the time and see if you can get a clear image of his face. just thought it might be another way to find out the ship??? maybe.

He is japanese.

[b-m-n_animal]

sorry it's hard to tell with the small image esp as that uniform is worn by allot of western nations at the time. it was just a thought if he was.

[NLF]

the middle of the second row is full of officers in the same dress

[b-m-n_animal]

ok ... i'm just gonna go sit in the corner with my D cap on now. i'm having one of them days.

[Edokko]

Great photo of a fairly unusual ship.
The tally shows that the sailors are part of the ship Jingei (迅鯨), but not the ship that was decomissioned in 1909, since that original Jingei was a wooden padde steamer. This is the later Jingei built as a sub tender in 1923 and sunk off of Okinawa in 1944.
Once again great photo and thanks for posting it.

[gunto]

Thanks Edokko , Thats great news ,what an interresting ship.

[Fukuoka]

Edokko, you're probably right about it being the later vessel, but according to Wikipedia (not always accurate, but...) the earlier Jingei was also part of the IJN: The ship was used as a torpedo training ship in 1886 and also used by the IJN Torpedo Academy after 1896. So though it may have been wooden (see picture in the linked photo), is it impossible that the sailor in the photo was assigned to the earlier ship? (Perhaps the uniform is a later issue, which would settle the matter.)

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%BF%...88%9D%E4%BB%A3)

And, gunto, since I was first to identify the name of the ship after considerable eyestrain, a simple 'thanks' directed my way, too, would be nice... But I digress...

Cheers, Rich

[Edokko]

Rich, yep the earlier Jingei was definitely part of the IJN fleet, no question about that, and your eyes are most definitely as sharp as any. That was one tough photo to read off of.

The construction of the ship on the background probably makes more sense it being the latter Jingei, but with all the dressed up officers and their uniform style, I would think pretty early in it's life, even perhaps quite soon after the commission.

BTW, do you actually live in Fukuoka ?

Takehito

[Fukuoka]

Thanks, Takehito. Concise, convincing explanation.

Yes, I am in Fukuoka. I've been here since 1993. Have you been here before?

Cheers, Rich

[Edokko]

Wow, you lucky guy ! Yes, not lately, but I have been to Fukuoka quite a few times over the years on business trips and consider the city as probably one of the best place to live in Japan. The food is great, the drinks are great, the girl's are great (their Hakata accent is wildy sexy) and the pace of life is just right. Can't ever live to work in Tokyo again, but Fukuoka, and perhaps Sapporo, is a different story !
There used to be a great watering hole called Getsu (酒場 月) near the intersection of Kego (警固), but if you're in that vicinity you should take a look. I loved that bar and made it a thing to go there whenever I was in Fukuoka.

Takehito

[gunto]

Edokko, you're probably right about it being the later vessel, but according to Wikipedia (not always accurate, but...) the earlier Jingei was also part of the IJN: The ship was used as a torpedo training ship in 1886 and also used by the IJN Torpedo Academy after 1896. So though it may have been wooden (see picture in the linked photo), is it impossible that the sailor in the photo was assigned to the earlier ship? (Perhaps the uniform is a later issue, which would settle the matter.)

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%BF%...88%9D%E4%BB%A3)

And, gunto, since I was first to identify the name of the ship after considerable eyestrain, a simple 'thanks' directed my way, too, would be nice... But I digress...

Cheers, Rich

Hello Rich , also thanks too You ,Sorry for the behavior.

Your guys are very helpful.

[Fukuoka]

Gunto, no problem. Since I contribute so little to these forums and my name is unfamiliar, I am easily overlooked. I'm too sensitive about that, I guess.

And thanks for the bar recommendation, Takehito. Kego is fairly close to my home, about a 20-minute bike ride. I'm familiar with the area but not that bar. I'll give it a shot. You are indeed correct about Fukuoka--it is an excellent place to live and raise kids!

Lots of military history here too: I teach at Kurume University (which is on the site of an IJA base, the 24th regiment I think) and Kyushu University, the place where the infamous experiments on live POWs was conducted. And my home is right near Mt. Abura, infamous because four American POWs were beheaded there right after the war ended. And since Fukuoka was fire-bombed extensively during the war, many tidbits of lore dwell in the minds of the residents. Plenty of areas for research, if I only had the time...

Cheers,
Rich

[koyasan]

origen of the photo?

I can confirm that the ship is the Jingei which was sunk on 10th Oct 1944. The crew member in the second row from the back (third from the right) is still alive and well! Recently I met this man's daughter and it was her who confirmed her father as a member of the crew and in fact he also has a copy of this photo. I have asked her if she would kindly ask her father for some details about when the photo was taken and she has agreed to do this. Meanwhile she is wondering about the origen of this copy of the photo that was posted. I'm not sure how much detail about the crew member I am allowed to post but I will ask his daughter as I understand he has written quite a lot about his experience on board the Jingei.

[Der Texaner]

Outstanding! Please keep us updated.

Regards,
Joel

[gunto]

Koyasan .Fantastic.
Didnt think any on the photo has suvirved.
Very interresting ,info you have.

Best regards
Thomas